Eric Roper

Eric Roper covers the city of Minneapolis with a focus on City Hall. He previously covered the Minnesota Legislature at the Capitol and the state's congressional delegation at the paper's Washington bureau.

The original stadium use agreement called for the team to split the naming rights with the state agency that owns the ramp and the stadium. But last year the Sports Facilities Authority struck a new deal that allowed the Vikings to collect all the renaming revenue — an undisclosed amount — from the ramp.

The days when a city employee went door-to-door checking water use are coming to a close in the Twin Cities area, as most cities have installed meters that send readings via radio signal. In many cities, a van cruises by once a month to pick up the signals.

Drinking on the sly may not be necessary at Minneapolis' newest park, the Commons in front of U.S. Bank Stadium, if a proposal to allow parkgoers to bring their own booze during certain events prevails at City Hall.

Stephen Frenz is on trial in Hennepin County housing court, accused of fostering substandard conditions at a south Minneapolis apartment building. City records show he has more violations than other landlords with large apartment buildings.

From the segregated schools of Nashville to the campus of Minnesota State University, Mankato, the tireless dance instructor encouraged generations of students to express themselves through their bodies — and convinced administrators that it was a legitimate academic and artistic pursuit. Cobb, 95, died at her Burnsville home June 24.

Between 2010 and 2014, there were 3,069 crashes with pedestrians in the Twin Cities and its suburbs. 95 were killed. 28 drivers were charged. But many of the deaths weren't even judged worth a traffic ticket.